Tide-motor.



W. SGHWEIKERT.

TIDE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1910,

1,012,722. -Patented M 26, 1911 6 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITNESSES W 6 W 7 77:25am fi akweiker- W. SCHWEIKERT. TIDE MOTOR. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1910.

110112 7132, Patented Dec.26, 1911.

6SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mum 6 076206633167?- INVENTOR 6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I w. SGHWEIKERT.

TIDE M0T0R. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2

v Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

W. SCHWEIKERT.

TIDE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1910.

WI TNESSES INVENIOB mm Scjzweikrt W. SOHWEIKERT.

TIDE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24,-1'910.

Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

6 SHEETSSHEET 5.

WIT-1168858 70. git i2; Z

- .ffiilzam a we; r

I W. SCHWEIKERT.

TIDE MOTOR. 7 APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1910.

Patented Dec. 26, 1911 6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

III VEII T0 &

WI Tf/ESSES osrron.

wrnmar'ascnwmxnnr, or NEW YORK, at; Y.

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; Specification of Letters i'atent.

Patented Dec. 26,1911.

Application filed. March 24,-1a1a- Serial bro {551 871.

To all wlwm it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM Sorrwrnmen'r,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, in the city and State of New York, haveinvented'eertain Improvements in Tide-Motors, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain itnprovements in tide motors such as are particularly designed and adapted for actuation from the ebb and flow of tides, and hasfor-its object to provide a motor of this general char acter of a simple and comparatively inex' pensive nature, and of a compact a1id'du rable construction, having improved and simplified meanswhereby the tidal fiuctuaw tions are multipliedin such a manner as to permit of developing power therefrom in a substantially continuous and uniform man 'ner.- T

The invention consists, in part, in a device of this general charactcrhavinga receptacle to which water is adapted to be admitted during the flow of the tide, a lock capable of communication with said receptacle and adapted to be successively filled with water and emptied, and transmitting means actuated from the rise. and fall of water in. sald lock.

The invention also consists in a device ofthis general character wherein the lock af-.

fords an entrance for the tide water into'the receptacle, whereby "upon'the flow of the tide said lock may be successively operated, being first filled with water and afterward discharged into said receptacle for the successive actuation of the transmitting means.

The' invention also. consists in a motor of this general character wherein the receptacle is ada ted to-be filled with water upon the' flow 0 the tide and to discharge the same through said lock in such a manner as to actuate the transmitting means therein located. I

Another part of the invention consists in a-motor having a receptacle to whichwater is adapted to be admitted upon the flow of the tide, a lock capable of communication with the receptacle'and adapted to he successively filled with water and discharged,

transmitting means actuated from the rise or fall of water in the lock, and means for water to and from said lock.

controlling the admission and discharge of The invention also contemplates certain novel features of the construction and combmatlonsand arrangementsof the several parts of the improved tide motor, ,whereby. "certain lgnportant 'advantages are attained,

better understood, I will now proceed to de-'' scribe the same with reference to-the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a partial \plan view showing a motor constructed according to my invention; .Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the'lockand adjacent parts of the apparatus in the plane indicated by the line' raa in. Fig. I; Fig. 3 is'a vertical section taken through one of the gates in the plane indicated by the lined-b in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken through said gate in the plane indicated by the line c'-o in Fig. 3; Fig; 5 isa sectional view'takenvertically through the lock, and showing 'certain features of the mechanism for filling controlling the admission and discharge of 'water to and'froin the lock; Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view showingmfeaturesof the clutch for actuating the wickets of the lock; Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing detailsof construction o flthe wicket actuatmgmeans;

Fig. 9 is asectional view taken vertically through the transmitting. means; Fig. 10 is and emptying the same; Fig. 6 is aperspective View showing the float mechanism for a transverse sectiontaken horizontally through the'transmitting means in the plane indicated bythe line d-d 'in Fig. 9; Fig. 11

is a sectional view taken vertically through the lock and showing a modified formation of the transmitting means; Fig. 12 is a sectional vicwtaken at right angles to Fig. 11,

in the plane indicated by line c c in said figure, and Fig. 13 is anenlarged fragmentary-detail View showing one of the ele-- ments of the' transmitting means illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12.

Referring first to Figs. 1 a; 10 inclusive, 1 represents a receptacle which may be conveniently constructed in the form of a large basin to tvhich tide water isfadmitte'd;

way of a canal orpassage 2, one end of which is adapted for communication with the sea as indicated at 3, while the opposite end is adapted for communication as shown at 4: with said basin or receptacle, a gate 5 being interposed in the passage or canal for preventing the discharge of water from the basin or receptacle upon the ebb of the tide.

As'herein shown, the gate 5 is capable of vertical movement, its opposite edges being arranged to slide within guide channels 6, 6, produced at the opposite sides of the canal or passage, the said edge portions, of the gate being provided with floats 7, 7, which are adapted to rise and fall with the fluctuations of the water level in the basin or rece tacle 1, there being passages 8 8, which ead from the basin or receptacle 1 to said guide channels 6, 6, so that the water in said guide channels is maintained at a level equal to that of the water in the basin or receptacle at'all times.

By this construction it will be seen that when the level of the water in the basin or receptacle 1 falls, the gate 5 will be correspondingly lowered so that if the tide flowing in the cana'l or passage 2 be atta height greater than the water level in v-the-'basin, the water from the said canal or passage will be'admitted into the basin or receptacle, but when the Water level in said basin or receptacle stands above the level of the tide as exerted in the canal or passage 2, the floats 7, 7 will operate to elevate the gate so as to prevent discharge of water from the basin or receptacle through said canalor passage.

9 represents a wicket produced at one wall of the basin or receptacle 1, and adapted'for thevflow of water therefrom into a lock or compartment 10, and 11 represents a similar wicket produced in the wall of said lock or compartment and adapted for the discharge of water therefrom-into the auxiliary basin or receptacle 12, similar to the basin or receptacle 1, but ordinarily of greater capacity than the latter. 1

In the form of my improved motor herein illustrated, I have provided transmitting means within the lock or compartment 10 and adapted to be actuated from the rise and fall of water therein, and the construction is such that after the basin or receptacle 1 has been filled with water upon the flow of tide, such water is discharged therefrom by way of the lock or compartment 10 which is successively filled and emptied for .the actuation of the transmitting means therein contained. The auxiliary basin or'receptac1e 12 being of greater capacity than the.

basin or receptacle 1, it will be seen that after the latter has been filled with water upon the flow of the tide, the lock or compartment maybe filled and emptied a considerable number of times before the water corresponds with that ofthe basin or receptacle 1, and if the basins or receptacles be properly proportioned and of sutficient'capacity the transmitting means in the lock or compartment 10 may be actuated in a substantially continuous manner irrespective of tidal fluctuations. T Q

The auxiliary basin or receptacle 12 has communication as shown at 14; with the canal or passage 2 so that upon the fall of the tide said basin or receptacle may be emptied, a gate 15 being extended across said canal or passage to control its communication with said auxiliary basin or receptacle in a 'manner similar to that in which communication of said canal or sage with thebasin 1 is controlled by the gate 5, the opposite edges of said gate 15 being extended for vertical sliding move ment in guide channels 16, 16 in the oppo site walls ofthe canal or passage, and being provided with floats 7 which rise and fall with the fluctuations of the tide in thecanal or passage 2, there being openings 17 in the walls of said. canal or passage through which tide water is admitted to said guide channels. By this arrangement as the tidefalls in the canal or passage 2, the gate 15 is lowered so that water may escape from the pasv at the axis of the cylinder andpenetrating the upper end or head thereof, and having its upper extremity connected with a hori zontally directed beam 24 the opposite ends of which are extended beyond opposite sides of the cylinder,'and are bifurcated for connection'with the upper ends of rods 25, 25 wherewith floats 26, 26 are connected, the arrangement of the parts being such that the floats 26 are raised and lowered in unison withthe rise and fall of the water within the lock or compartment 10 and are caused to communicate their movement to the septum 22 which is thereby reciprocated within the cylinder 21. The cylinder 21 has a man-hole produced at its lower endtand provided witha tight fitting cover 27 which is capable of removal so that sediment may be withdrawn from the cylinder when desired, and the upper and lower ends of said cylinder have pipe connections 28 pro-' vided with check valves 29, and means pro vided ,f6r admitting water to the ends 01" said cylinder as will be hereinafter ex- '-guided in apertured flanges at the upper 'plained, so that whenthe septum is moved within the cylinder the water is forced therefrom first through one of the'pipe connectirms '28, and then through the other. As shown herein the pipe connections 28 are led to an elevated tank or receptacle 30 wherein the water forced from each cylin" der is collected, said tank or receptacle 30 having a dischargepipe 31 leading to a hydraulic motor 32, from which power may be communicated to drive any desired mechanism. The means for admitting water to the cylinder 21 shown herein. comprises ports 35, located at diametrically opposite sides of the upper part of the cylinder and controlled by vertically movable valves 36, 36 which are -connected for movement in unison by means of a ring 37 encircling the, upper end of the cylinder. said valves being guided in any preferred av upon theside walls of the cylinder. 38, 38 represent vertically movable valve rods which, are extended through apertured lugs upon' the valves 36. so and having their upper'ends end of thecylinder and are connected with theopposite ends of the beam 24 so that the apertured lup of each valve a spring 40 is coiled upon the corresponding valve rod vertical movement of the floats 2t), 96 is communicated to said rods to move them in unison with the septum 22. 36 carries a spring, 39 which has frictional contact upon the Corresponding valve rod 38 so as to compel movement of the 'alve in unison with such valve rod and above the with its upper end engaged beneath the apertured flange wherein said rod guided, so thatthe tension of said spring is exerted to press the corresponding valve 36 do inwardly shown in Fig. 9, to open the corresponding port 35. The tension of the spring filrO lS not sullieient to move the valve endwise upon its valve rod against the tension exerted by the spring 35) and it will be seen that when the floats 26 are lowered upon the fall of the water level in the lock or conmartment 10 so as to open the ports the upper end of the cylinder 21 upon the septum will fill with ater, and as the water level in the lock or compartment '10 ris the litting niovei'nent exerted by .by it, will be seen that when the floats :26

have b en raised to their uppermost posihon by the rise of the water level in the Each valve lock or compartment 10. the springs 39 will bear with lessened tension upon said rods so that the springs 40 are permitted to exert their tension to automatically force the. valves 36 downwardly into the open position shown in Fig. '9, whereby while the water in the lock or compartment 10 re-v mains at. its highest level and the septum 22 is retained in an elevated position, the ater is admitted from the lock or compartment 10 into the lower end of the cylinder 21 below the septum 22, so that when the water is discharged from the lock or compartment 10 through the wicket 11 into the auxiliary basin or receptacle 12, the downward movement of the floats 26 will be imparted to the septum 22 to first move the same downwardly within the cylinder to an extentsutticient to close the ports 35, and afterward to force the water from the lower.

end of the cylinder through the lowermost pipe connection 28 into the elevated tank or receptacle 30. lVhile this arrangement of transmitting means is capable of advantageous use I do not desire to be under stood as limiting myself thereto since it will. be evident that the vertical reciprocatory movementof the floats may"be trommunicessively filling the lock or compartment .10 from the basin or receptaclel and emptying the same nto the auxiliary basin or receptacle 12, said means comprising agate 45 controlling the wicket, 9 andv a similar gate 46 controlling the Wicket 11.

The t5 and 4st) are pivotally mounted, the former being actuated through gearing 1 from an arm or lever 48 with which isconnected a. vertically movable rod t), the upper end of which is guided in suitable hearing at. the side, of the lock so as lobe capable of tree vertical movement in unison with the arm or lever 48. 50 represents a clutch device capable of tree downward vertical movementupon the rodA-S being suspended at the lower end of a chain or lexible connector 51 which is extended upwardly from the lock over a sheave '52 and laterally as shown in 5, and has its opposite end arranged to wind upon a drum upper end has connection with aweightv58.

The arrangement of the parts is such that when the arm or lever 48 is raised the gate 45 is closed and vice' versa, a spring 59 be- 5 ing adapted for engagement beneath said arm or lever when the same is raised sov as to hold the gate 45 in closed position against the pressure of the water within the basin or receptacle 1.

The upper end of the spring 59 has a beveled or inclined. surface 60 arranged in the path of one of the floats 26 whereby it will be seen that when water is discharged from the lock or compartment through the wicket 11, causing the water level in said lock or compartment to fall, the down ward movement of said float 26, as the same approaches the bottom of the lock or compartment, will cause said float to contact with the inclined extremity 60 of spring 59 in such manner as to withdraw said spring laterally from supporting engagement beneath the arm or 'lever 48 after which the further downward movement of said float will bring the same into contact with said arm or lever in such manner as to insure the opening of the gate 45 so that the lock or compartment 10 will be again filled with water from the basin 0r receptacle 1, and as the float 26 rises in unison with the rise ofthe Water level in said lock or'compart- ,ment 10, the end of the beam, 24 wherewith said float has connection will be engaged beneath a projection 61 upon the clutch device-5O so as to tilt said clutch device to an inclined position such as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7 whereby as the water level 1n the locker compartment 10 approaches that in the basin or receptacle 1, a certain 40 extent of upward movement will be inci parted to the rod'49 sufiicient to elevate the arm or lever ,48 into supported engagement with the spring 59, the gate being thereby closed to prevent the escape of further water 145 from the basin or receptacle 1.

Thelevel to which the lock or compartment 10 is filled will vary,during the operation of the device in unison with the variation of the Water level in the basin or receptacle 1, but in the construction herein shown such variation will be compensated for by the automatic adjustment of the clutch device 50 in unison with the movement of the float 57 actuated from Variations of the water level in the basin or receptacle 1. v

The gate 46- which controls the wicket 11 is actuated through gearing 65 from an arm or lever 66 in sucha manner that when said arm is in raised position said gatewill be open, and when said arm is in lowered position-as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 said gate will be closed.

67 represents a lever pivoted in the lock or compartment 10 and having a hookshaped end adapted when the arm or lever 66 is lowered to engage therewith and hold the gate 46 closed against the pressure of the water in the lock or receptacle and said lever has an arm 68 with which is connected the lower end of a rod 69 which is extended vertically up at one wall of the lock and has its upper ,end engaged with a suitable guide, a clutch device 70 being mounted arranged in the path of one of the floats 26,

so that as the water level in the lock or. compartment 10 falls said float contacts with said arm or lever and depresses thesame to close the gate 46 when the water is completely discharged from the look so that when the gate 45 is opened the water entering the-lock therethrough is prevented from beinglimmediately discharged-into the auxiliary basin or receptacle. Vtfhen said arm or lever is sufiiciently depressed to close the gate 46 it is engaged by the hook lever 67 and is thereafter held against movement during such time as the lock or compartment is being filled with water from the basin or receptacle 1 by way of the wicket 9, and as the water level in the lock or receptacle rises through the admission of wa ter from the basin or receptacle 1,- the beam 24 connected with the float 26 which engages the arm or lever 66, will come in contact with a projection 73upon the clutch device 70 and will tilt said clutch device to an inclined locking position whereby the final riS- ing movement of the float will serve to move the rod 69 upwardly in, such a manner as to rock the hook lever 67 and disengage the same from the arm or lever 66 at the instant the lock or receptacle is filled.

By this arrangement of'the parts it will beseen that the lock or compartment 10 is first filled with water from the basin or receptacle 1, while the gate 45 is open and the gate 46 is closed and when the level of'the water in the lock conforms to that in basin 1, the clutch devices will be actuated to reverse the positions ofthe gates, closingthe gate 45 and opening the gate 46, 'so that the water is discharged from the lock into the auxiliary basin 12, and as the water is discharged from the 'lock thefloats 26 apsimple and comparatively inexpensivenature, and. is particularly well adapted for use byreason of the multiplication of the rising and falling'movements ofthe water attained by its use, and it will alsobe ap-.

parentthat thedevice is susceptible of com siderable modification without material de- Y parture from the principles and s irit of the invention, and for this reason do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the preciseformation' and-arrangement of the parts herein set forth in carrying out my invention 1n pra'ct1ce. For example, in some cases the transmittin means shown in Figs.

11, 12 and. 18 may e substituted for that shown in the .preceding views with-good As shown in these latter views, a

10 as shown at 78, 78, and are capable of a predetermined extent of movement instead of having a varying stroke dependent upon 7 the height of the water in'the basin or receptacle 1.- These floats 78, 78 are guided for'vertical movement in openings 77, 77, produced in a horizontal partition extended across the locklO, the water being admitted. 'from the wicket 9 to one-end of a passage beneath said partition until it'has reached 'a.level sutficientto lift the floats to the limit of their upward movement, after which such water is discharged by way of the wicket 11 so as to permit the floats to fall by gravity to theirlowermost position. The floats 78 have stems 79 extended up from them and connected by links 84 with cranks 85 in. a crank shaft 86 mountedinbearings above the lock,

the. stems being guided in slide bearings 'of any preferred 'kind. The movement of the shaft 86 maybe transmitted by means of 'a-pulley 87 to perform any desirablework. The gates 45 and 46 are actuated in a manner similar to that above described, from 'the movement of the floats 78, excepting that the stems of said floats have fixed arms 81'and 8-2 which are engageable with fixed stops 83, 83 upon the slide rods49 and 69 for controlling the movement of the gates from the ascending movement of said floats.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let- 'ters Patent is: 1. A. device of the character described comprising a basin adapted to contain a fluid, an auxiliary basin, alock interposed between the basins, "a canal-leading to the basin andinto which the auxiliary basin discharges, meanslfor controlling the com- -mu1'1ications between the canal and both of the basins and a transmittlng means Within the lock operated b the'passage of the fluid from the has-into t e auxiliary basin.

2." A device of the character described comprising a basin adapted to contain a fluid, an auxiliary basin of greater area than the basin, a; lock interposed between the basins, a canal leading to the basin and into which the vauxiliary basin discharges, means for controlling the communications between the canal' and bo'thof the basins and a transmitting means within the lock operated by the passage of the fluid from-gthe basin to the auxiliary basin, i "3; A device of the character described comprising a basin adapted to contain a fluid, an auxiliary basin, a lock interposed therebetween, a fluid supplying means for the basin into which the-auxiliary basindischarges, float valves for con trolling the communication of the fluid supplying means with both of the basinsand a transmitting means within the lock actuated by the passage of the fluid from the basin to the auxil iary basin.

4. A device of the character described comprising a basin adapted to containa fluid, an auxiliary basin, means leading from tide -water to supply fluid to the basin, said auxiliary basin discharging within said means, float valves controlling the communication of' the fluid supplying means with bothof the basins,'a lock interposed between the basins, anda transmitting means within the lock operated by the passage of the fluid from the basin to the,auxiliarybasin.'

6. A device of the character described comprising a basin, an auxiliary basin, a,

lock interposed between the basins, means leading from tide water to supply fluid to the basin,"said auxiliary basin being in communication th'erewith,a float valve for con trolling the communication of the basin with the supplying means controlled by the fluid v within the basin, a float valve for controlling the communication of the auxiliary basin with the supplying means controlled by the fluid within said supplying means anda transmitting means within the lock oper ated by the passage of the fluid fromthe basin to the auxiliary basin. 6. A device of the character'described comprising a basin, an auxiliary/"basin, a

lock interposed 'therebetween and in com- 7. A device of the l character described comprising a basin, an auxiliary basin,'a

-io'cleinterposed therebetween and in communication therewith,'a transmitting means. within the lock operated by the-passage of fluid from-the basin to the auxil ary basin and means for alternately and automatically opening and closing the communications between the lock and thebasins.

8. A device of the character described comprising a basin, an auxiliary basin, a

lock interposed therebetween and in communication therewith, means for alternately and automatically controlling the communications between the lock and the basins, and

10 transmitting means Within the lock operated by the rise and fall of fiuid therein in its passage from the basin to the auxiliary basin.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two subscribing 15 

